Sunday, April 29, 2012

My week has been full of random reads, bocce, and talking The Boyfriend into watching Mad Men. (I've seen the first two seasons and he's seen none... so we started watching from the pilot this week. Woot!) To make the past few days extra special, my boys, The Washington Capitals, decided to beat the Boston Bruins in Game 7 overtime. Huzzah! I guess it's time to let my heart start beating again.

Now back to the reading. All in all, it was a rather decent week. I thought I might suffer from read-a-thon burnout, but this summary suggest otherwise.

Whilst on the elliptical this week, I started in on the May 2012 issue of The Atlantic. I haven't made it to the feature stories yet, but I enjoyed the short pages on free diving ("Waiting to Exhale") and the Uber cab service in DC ("Why You Can't Get a Taxi"). Both of those articles were very interesting, which leads me to believe that this issue could be stellar.

I finished another book. Woot! I managed to flip through the rest of my professional read - Performance Management and Appraisal. I'll have a review later - after I get through all my read-a-thon reviews.

I also started a new professional book - The Challenge of Library Management. I'm just a few pages in, so I have not formed an opinion yet.

Call me one to cave to media saturation. I've had The Hunger Games on the brain for weeks now. I decided to give in and re-read this book. So far, it holds up to my memories, but I'm only a few pages in.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Sometimes, you just need to step back and think about things. Not everything in life has to be go Go GO! This month's variations on a theme is about books that make you think, that make you calm down, that make you sit back and contemplate before you act.

Living on the edge of exhaustion, we are constantly reminded by our
bodies and minds that the pace of life is spinning out of control. In Praise of Slowness
traces the history of our increasingly breathless relationship with
time and tackles the consequences of living in this accelerated culture
of our own creation. Why are we always in such a rush? What is the cure
for time sickness? Is it possible, or even desirable, to slow down?
Realizing the price we pay for unrelenting speed, people all over the
world are reclaiming their time and slowing down the pace — and living
happier, healthier, and more productive lives as a result. A Slow
revolution is taking place. [My Review]

Passionately argued, impressively researched, and filled with indelible stories of real people, Quiet
shows how dramatically we undervalue introverts, and how much we lose
in doing so. Taking the reader on a journey from Dale Carnegie’s
birthplace to Harvard Business School, from a Tony Robbins seminar to an
evangelical megachurch, Susan Cain charts the rise of the Extrovert
Ideal in the twentieth century and explores its far-reaching effects.
She talks to Asian-American students who feel alienated from the brash,
backslapping atmosphere of American schools. She questions the dominant
values of American business culture, where forced collaboration can
stand in the way of innovation, and where the leadership potential of
introverts is often overlooked. And she draws on cutting-edge research
in psychology and neuroscience to reveal the surprising differences
between extroverts and introverts.

In Leisure the Basis of Culture, Pieper destroys common misconceptions
about the idea of leisure and its relation to work. Leisure is not
idleness, but an attitude of the mind and a condition of the soul that
fosters receptivity to both physical and spiritual realities. The author
points out that sound philosophy and authentic religion can be born
only in leisure-a leisure that allows time for the contemplation of
things, including the nature of God. Leisure has been, and always will
be, the foundation of any culture. [My Review]

Lehrer reveals the importance of embracing the rut, thinking like a
child, daydreaming productively, and adopting an outsider’s perspective
(travel helps). He unveils the optimal mix of old and new partners in
any creative collaboration and explains why criticism is essential to
the process. Then he zooms out to show how we can make our neighborhoods
more vibrant, our companies more productive, and our schools more
effective.

A cornerstone of American letters, Walden is Henry David Thoreau’s
chronicle of the two years he spent living by himself at Walden Pond,
contemplating the individual’s relationship to society. Thoreau first
published this book in 1854, and its themes of self-reliance,
independence, individuality, and integration with nature still resonate
with readers today.

The first in-depth look at post-World War II family travel, Rugh's study
recounts how postwar prosperity and mass consumption—abetted by paid
vacation leave, car ownership, and the new interstate highway
system—forged the ritual of the family road trip and how that ritual
became entwined with what it meant to be an American. With each car a
safe haven from the Cold War, vacations became a means of strengthening
family bonds and educating children in parental values, national
heritage, and citizenship.

On this dreary, rainy day, I decided to wear stripedy tights under my boots. I love a bit of whimsy when the weather is icky.

At work, I tossed the boot aside when the rubber made my legs to hot. I have a set of collapsible flats for such occasions. They don't work perfectly with the tights - but I think the awesomeness of the tights wins out.

This post does not contain anything from read-a-thon because my brain is still sleepy.

This week, I did manage to read, but I saved most of my mojo for the epicness that is read-a-thon Saturday.

I made it to the gym a couple of time this week, so I was able to finish reading the April issue of The Atlantic. I thought the Ben Bernanke and Rham Emmanual articles were very interesting, and I hope they profile these guys again after some time has passed.

The May issue of Cooking Lightappeared this week, and I read it the same day I received it. There is something about avocados on a cover that just scream, "Read me now and get a craving for deliciousness." I pulled several recipes from this issue, so it might be a good one to pick up on the newsstand if you don't subscribe. I also enjoyed the article on "food follies" quite a bit.

In addition to the Cooking Light, I had the May issue of Real Simple waiting for me. I read this issue while watching Game 4 of the Capitols/Bruins playoff series. That was probably the only reason my blood pressure didn't sky rocket. I enjoyed reading about the recommended cleaning products (I hate my shower grout with a passion); I loved the memoir style article about why pie is a cure-all. Taking another look at the issue, I also appear to have tagged a ton of recipes. I think we've got another "good purchase" issue here.

In preparation for read-a-thon, I finished the romance novel I was reading - The Reckless One. It was it was an okay conclusion to the series, and I totally called the "huge" twist revealed in the last few pages.

CURRENTLY READING: I think I may finish The School of Essential Ingredients in the next hour.

THOUGHTS?: This book is epically good. It is by far my favorite read of the year so far.

SNACKS AND STUFF: No foods!

COMPANION UPDATE: The Boyfriend came home in time to make sure I was awake for the final push.

ANYTHING ELSE?: I am finishing this book tonight. It is decided. As this book is the last in my pre-selected pile, I am determined to make sure I read every last page before I fall asleep. If I happen to get a second wind when I'm done, I might consider picking something off my shelves at home.

CURRENTLY READING: Still working on The School of Essential Ingredients.

THOUGHTS?: Dear God, does this book make me want to cook. I'm talking large, family style meals that come with long conversation, wine, and lots of satisfaction. I am so glad I saved this book for the end of my pile. The story is so good that I want to keep reading even though the sandman is near.

SNACKS AND STUFF: No foods. I brushed me teeth so I am done for the night.

COMPANION UPDATE: Yeah, not a peep. I think The Roomie is down for the count.

ANYTHING ELSE?: I showered, which helped, but I still feel a wee bit sleepy.

CURRENTLY READING:I finished Food Rules and have begun The School of Essential Ingredients. Yup, I started reading the last book in my pile. It's anyone's guess if I'll actually be awake enough to finish it.

THOUGHTS?: All of these food related books are making me hungry. The one I'm currently reading described mashed potatoes so beautifully that I wish I had some spuds on hand.

Oh yes. These babies are delectable. The Roomie and I adore these cookies and both found the recipe on the Crepes of Wrath blog.

So good. Also, I drank a cup of coffee.

COMPANION UPDATE: The Roomie has finished Bunnicula and has started reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. She finds the book very good, but thinks it will tire her out - possibly before midnight.

ANYTHING ELSE?: I should stop eating these cookies. Methinks a shower will help keep my awake cause I sense sleep coming on.